Personalities In Sport

Evening Star, Issue 21303, 6 January 1933, Page 4

Personalities In Sport

[By H.P.S.]

it is fitting that this week’s personality should be one who played his part very well in Otago’s convincing showing ngnnst the Auckland team in the Plunket Shield match, and by his display in this game V. J. Leader has consolidated his position for the Canterbury match, which will decide the destination of the Plunket Shield for the season. Vern. is a cricketer with the big match temperament, and with the attention he has paid to batting in tho last couple of seasons should now assume a regular place in Otago’s Shield team. Leader’s is not one of those obtrusive personalities, but he possesses a quiet confidence and plenty of. determination which, no doubt, have assisted him to win his way back to an Otago team after several years’ absence from representative cricket. Vern. learnt to piny cricket at tho George Street School under Mr M’Phoe, who has been responsible for the early coaching and encouragement "of many subsequently ■prominent cricketers. In 1921-22 he was a member of the school eleven

which won the Otago competition and which also included Alan Boyd (Grange) and Horace Miller (Albion). Leader also played in the Otago schools’ representative team which was captained by Alec Priest. Leader was one of the boys selected to receive coaching from the Grange Club, and lie Received valuable advice from Arthur Galland, who is one of the many Otago cricketers that tho George Street School and the North Ground have helped to produce. In 1923 and 1924 Vern. played in the Otago Boys’ High School first eleven, and during those two years enjoyed great success with his medium-pace olfbreak bowling, taking a Jot of wickets in the local competition and also doing well in the inter-school matches. In his first match against Waituki Boys’ High School ho took seven wickets for 45. Rupert Worker was coaching the school eleven in 1924, and a wonderful coach he was. That year Lender played against Christ’s College, Otago registering a great win—-the first for fourteen years. There was some fine talent in the school team which included Don Cameron and Don Allan (now of Carisbrook), Alec Priest (’Varsity), Vic. Cavanagh (Dunedin), and Norman' Cherry (Old Boys). Leaving school, Vern. linked up with tho High School Old Boys’ Cricket

Pen Sketches

No. LXXX : V. J. LEADER

Club, and during the time the club has figured in the senior competition has been one of its most useful all-rounders. He has always finished well up in the bawling averages, but outside of averyco altogether is a decidedly useful member of the club’s attack, as he has the happy knack of doing well with the ball when others have failed to come to light. This fact perhaps is due to tho fact that he is a great trier and a player who can always lie depended on to give of his best. As a batsman, Leader has always been noted for his strong defence, but when he first made his appearance in an Otago team a few years ago there were some who predicted that the young left-hand batsman would eventually develop his stroke play and would then bo one of Otago’s most useful men. This opinion has been confirmed, for while lie still has plenty of patience, he has a good range of scoring strokes, and in tho recent Auckland match showed that he was most dependable in a pinch. He has played in various Otago teams at different times, but prior to this week’s match only once in Plunket Shield cricket—against Auckland about three years ago. He was twelfth man against Wellington the same season and again this season. Leader is one of tho best liked club cricketers in Dunedin, and what success comes his way is always popular with other players. While he has figured so well in club cricket, Lender has not confined his sporting activities to the summer game, and in amateur athletics has met with a good deal of success. He linked up with the Caversham Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club about four years ago, and managed to win one or two races off big marks. At first, he found tho sprint events to his liking, and one season finished second in the competition for the Frye Cup, which is awarded to the competitor gaining most points in the club’s annual sports meeting. Leader showed a good deal of promise in races over 100yds and 220yds at the track and field meetings at tho Caledonian Ground during the summer season, but bo found that running interfered with cricket, and gave it up, otherwise he would have developed into a sprinter well above tho ordinary. At cross-country running he has shown himself to be a solid and game ; runner, and two years ago ho thoroughly earned . his place in the Caversham No. 1 team in the Otago cross-country championship. Caversham won the teams’ race, and Leader was in the winning team, his : placing being fifteenth, a good performance considering the quality of the field tliat invariably lines up for this gruelling race. That season Leader also occupied sixth place in the Port Road Race. His versatility as a runner was further indicated by the fact that in tho annual race held by the Caversham Harriers for the Holloway Cup (one mile handicap) he was; second in 1929 and first in 1930.

Leader’s association with sport has not been confined to active participation for be has always shown himself willing to do his share in promoting the interests of his club. Ho had a year as assistant-secretary of the Old Boys’ Cricket Club and in 1930 was assistant-secretary _of the Caversham Harriers. He is also a very keen mountaineer, and is a member of tho Otago Section of the New Zealand Alpine Club which is the strongest section in the dominion. Ho has Been its treasurer for the past two years, and it may be added that in whatever activity he has interested himself he has sliown the same unflagging keenness that has helped him towards success in cricket.